1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a storage library including a gripper assembly for interfacing with a portable storage device in the storage library.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tape data storage cartridges are relatively inexpensive and capable of storing large quantities of data. The tape data storage is inserted into a separate tape drive so that data may be read and/or written on the tape media. A library of numerous tape cartridges is used to store and archive large quantities of data. Such libraries may be implemented as an automated tape library which can contain large numbers of the cartridges on storage shelves and employ a robot gripper assembly to access a tape cartridge when needed and deliver the cartridge to a tape drive.
In an automated tape library, the tape cartridges are maintained on storage shelves. The gripper assembly, also referred to as a picker, accesses the tape cartridge from the shelves and moves the cartridge to a tape drive to read the content. Access times for tape cartridges in a tape library can be substantial, and include the time for the picker assembly to remove one tape cartridge already in the drive, move the removed cartridge to an available storage cell, and then move the target tape cartridge from the storage cell to the tape drive. Another substantial impact on tape drive performance in an automated library is the time needed to mount the cartridge and access a particular location in the cartridge storage. These factors substantially negatively impact I/O performance with respect to the tape cartridges in the library.
For these reasons, there is a need for an automated library of storage cartridges that provides improved performance with respect to accessing the storage cartridges.
Provided is a method, system, and storage library for storing data. A data storage cartridge includes a data storage device and the data storage device includes a storage medium and a power supply. A transfer station includes an interface capable of mating with the data storage cartridge to perform data transfer operations with respect to the storage medium in the data storage device. A gripper assembly includes
an interface capable of engaging the data storage cartridge and supplying power to the data storage device power supply. The gripper assembly further includes movement electronics for moving the data storage cartridge to the transfer station and inserting the data storage cartridge in the transfer station.
Further, the gripper assembly interface may be capable of communicating data between the gripper assembly and the storage medium of the data storage device.
Still further, the gripper assembly may further include a controller implementing logic to receive an I/O request with respect to the data storage cartridge engaged in the gripper assembly. The received I/O request is executed and data related to the executed I/O request is transmitted.
Additionally, the transfer station may include a controller implement logic to receive an I/O request with respect to the data storage cartridge engaged by the gripper assembly and transmit the I/O request to the gripper assembly. In such case, the received I/O request executed by the gripper assembly controller is transmitted from the transfer station.
The described implementations provide a technique to supply power to a storage cartridge including a data storage device that includes a power supply and perform I/O operations before the storage cartridge is transferred to a destination transfer station or drive in the automated library. The gripper assembly that transfers the data storage cartridge may include power and data interfaces to provide power to the data storage cartridge so that the data storage cartridge is prepared for data transfer operations while en route from a storage shelf to the drive. Thus, by the time the gripper assembly reaches the transfer station, the data storage cartridge is ready to immediately begin executing I/O requests and transferring data. Moreover, I/O performance is further improved, because the gripper assembly may itself execute I/O requests before the cartridge actually reaches the transfer station drive.